In 1988 I found out I had Cushing's. I went to doctors but no one could
figure out what was wrong I guess I didn't get to the right doctor. I hurt
my side at work one day. They sent me to the company- doctor. He took one
look at me and said You look like you have Cushing's Disease. So I went
back to my regular doctor and told him to give me a test for Cushing's.
Well. the test came back that I did. He sent me to an endocrinologist. She
took pictures of all the bruises. I really looked like a blimp. I think
mine really started in 1987 or maybe before. I went from 105 lbs. to 173
lbs. I had the extra hair on my face and my whole waistline was blue from
my pants being too tight. I also had boils on my waistline from the pants
rubbing - I got it where I had taken a string and tied the pants together.

I was so weak that I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. I
also must have had mood swings too. because I got divorced in 1987. I had
all the symptoms (except tooth loss) that Scotter talked about on the
internet on February 5 1996.

I went into surgery on June 9. 1988. They found a tumor on my left
adrenal gland. The tumor was three times the size of the adrenal gland. 35
hours after the surgery you couldn't tell my head from my shoulders. And
if I wasn't big before I was twice that size. They cut my throat and had
me on a respirator. And somewhere during that time I had a major stroke. I
was in intensive care for three months. Each time they would take me from
intensive care to a room so I could start therapy. something else would go
wrong and back to intensive care I went.

I was fed intravenously for a long time because I couldn't hold any
food down. I threw up green bile every time they touched me. I guess one
night I got so bad that they had to rush me up to surgery again and do an
exploratory on me which did no good. I had eight doctors and they couldn't
find out what was wrong. Well. my blood pressure dropped to 60 over 40. 1
was about to push up daisies. They took my gall bladder out.

I spent six months in the hospital. I thought the pain from all the
surgery was bad; therapy was worse. They were trying to move things that
didn't work so well anymore. Well by the time I had learned to take a
couple of steps they sent me home. I went home for three months. I
couldn't even sit up without falling over. I had home health care two
hours per day. I had to hire someone to stay five hours a day with me.

I had a fifteen-year-old son and I couldn't put this burden on him. So
I called my brother and had him put my house up for sale. I sold
everything I had. My son went to live with my- other married son. I went
into a nursing home. I still couldn't eat without throwing up at least
once a day. Only this time it was clear and kind-of bubbly. While there. I
found out that I had a rupture in my stomach. I had that corrective
surgery done. I spent a year in the nursing home. There was someone there
that told me of a place you could go to have therapy. No one told me they
had therapy hospitals before. I spent a month in a hospital learning to
sit up and keep my balance.

When someone tells you what to do for a year and half. it is very hard
to start over. Before I could leave the hospital. I had to spend 24 hours
in an apartment at the hospital by myself. I had to put myself to bed and
go to the bathroom all on my own. This was very scary for me. But I was
determined to do it.

In 1990 I got my own apartment. I have been on my own ever since.
Vocational rehab gave me a test to see what I would be good at - maybe a
part-time secretary of some sort. They will teach me on a word processor.
I need something so I can spell the words right. The state of Indiana
taught me to drive again. When I get through with this. they will own me.
God already does.

From all the stuff I have had wrong with me. I think my body had shut
down to die, only I wouldn't let it. God has a purpose for me even to let
people know that you have willpower and will use it. I still don't walk
too well and I'm in a wheelchair. My arm doesn't work; I've learned to do
without it. I do all my cooking and washing. It would really be nice if
someone would invent a bra you can fasten with one hand; they would make a
mint. Maybe someone out there can tell me how to get rid of this buffalo
hump?